Grub Crawl - Orlando and Lake Mary: Friends, Catrina's and Citrus City *AL/GA Travel Notes

I tried these spots on Wednesday at lunch. The first two are on 436 near 50. The last is across City Hall on Country Club Rd in the strip mall that has Dalli's Pizza. Halfway between I-4 and 17-92.

Friends Indian Cuisine - I tried the buffet for $15 ($13 on week days). It had the usual suspects. I tried: korma, butter, Tandoori, birayni chicken and goat, naan, rice pudding and potato cake and rice. All acceptable. They also had a soup and a few vegetable dishes and some fruit. They weren't exactly busting their asses to refill empty containers. And it was surprisingly full. A mix of all kinds of people. The regular menu ranges from $13 to $22 for plates. Goat, lamb, chicken, veg, seafood, wraps, etc. 5 booths. 8 tables. Not much on decor. In the old Yucatan location. Near Curry Ford Rd. They must be Muslim because the wife was in that dress and they promote halal. They charged a fee to use a credit card. Open three months.

Catrina's Mexican Fusion - I just grabbed a tortilla soup ($9) to go because they weren't honoring the lunch prices on Labor Day. And that rubbed me the wrong way. It was fine. No chicken. Avocado was Haas and fresh. They tossed in some chips and a watery salsa. Ok flavor. Usual menu and prices. They are in the old Garibaldi's. Near the overpass. You can drive by before you know it. It is not affiliated with the Miami based chain at the Florida Mall that I wrote about before the summer. Same exact look though. And no "cantina" in the name. They said people are often confused and they get that locations bad reviews. 6 booths. 20 tables? Private room. Bar. Colorful decor. Opened three months ago.

Citrus City - A bar. No brewery. The people from Celery City in Sanford. Good, rotating selection from all over. Fair prices. Patio. Woody. Large windows. Tables and stools at the bar. TVs. Opened in June.

*Travel Notes - Alabama and Georgia: I ate a sliced pork sandwich at Fat Boy's Bar B Q in Ocala. Took 75N to 96E at Tifton. Stopped at Lane's Southern Orchards and had peach ice cream and peach cobbler. They grow 50 types of peaches! Onto 280 to Columbus and the Chattahoochee River. Fort Denning and they do river rafting too. Ate a three piece (2B and a W) fried chicken with potato salad and corn bread at Country's on Broad Barbecue. They have half a Greyhound bus you can eat in. Should be on 3D. Had a strawberry and cheesecake shake at Southern Roots Milkshake Momma. Slept across the river in Phenix City AL (no sp) at the Courtyard by Marriott for $133 (rack rate). Up 280N to Birmingham AL. Stayed at the Hampton Inn Mountain Brook for two nights at $125 per. I stayed here because of free parking. However, it was an easy jumping off places. In the better part of town/suburb  and aside 71 that ran into town. Near the zoo and botanical garden just south of UAB (that's probably a good place to try too if you want to walk the city). Half the price as well. I saw these things over the two days: Vulcan statue (highlight) and view from, UAB, Regions Field (minor league baseball), Protective Stadium (new stadium downtown for UAB), Art Museum, Legions Field (old stadium where USFL played this season), 16th Street Baptist Church (KKK bombed it and killed girls in the 60's), AG Gaston Motel (MLK planned here), Civil Rights Museum, Jail where MLK wrote Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Rickwood Field (oldest baseball stadium - 1910), Lyric Theater, Alabama Theater and other things. A day and a half will be enough time. Ate chicken kebabs and Greek Salad and red potatoes across from hotel at Taziki's. Also a good wine shop there (Finch's). Ate a pulled pork sandwich at Saw's BBQ (on 3D). Ate a huge amberjack po boy with fries and slaw at The Fish Market DT (on 3D). Ate Pueblo Chicken with black beans at Mexican Lindo near hotel. Birmingham has a Maxi-Marxist mayor, so, downtown is a little seedier that it once was (according to pundits on local radio). Western and northern parts are the least good. Not a ton of people out because of the heat. So, not that much interaction. UAB Area was getting a make over. I drove on up 65N to 157W at Cullman. Had a pulled pork sandwich and a pulled turkey sandwich at Lawler's Barbecue. Stopped in Oakville to see the Jessie Owens Birthplace and Museum. Continued on to Muscle Shoals because it is mentioned in Sweet Home Alabama and it thought it was a guy. And I thought the lyric was "Muscle Shoals has the swamp bus". Figured it was some hippie van a friend had that they liked. The reality is Muscle Shoals is a town known for music (and mussels at one point) and there was a group of studio musicians called The Swampers who played for Aretha Franklin on Respect, etc. "Muscle Shoals has the Swampers". Near there was Tuscumbia and Hellen Keller's Birthplace. I drove across the Tennessee River to Florence AL on 17N. University of Northern Alabama, W C Handy Birthplace (he was mentioned in Walking In Memphis by Marc Cohn and appears to be the Father of the Blues) and I stumbled upon a Frank Lloyd Wright house called Rosenbaum. Who knew? West on 72 to Huntsville. Stayed at an Extended Stay America for $112. Ate great pulled pork and brisket sandwiches at Boarhog's Barbeque (on 72). They have 4.5 stars on Yelp. First time I've had brisket with slaw and mayo. They need to be on 3D. Onto Scottsboro and the Unclaimed Baggage Center. They sell the stuff from the baggage airlines, buses, etc lose here. Only in America. Onto Bridgeport to see Russell Cave NM. I popped by here when Covid started at it was closed. Now just one last snowflake abusing his/they/us' agency by making people wear masks. It's a small cave that Indians used. South on 72 to 117S to 59S to 68S to 411E to Weiss Lake in Centre AL. Cherokee County. 411E to 100S to 27S to 16E to 75S to Macon GA. Trying to avoid Atlanta and cutting trip short due to weather forecast. Stayed at Best Western Riverside for $96. Visited Ocmulgee Mounds NHP. Indian mounds from about 900 AD. Also was closed due to Covid last attempt. 75S to Carroll's Sausage and Country Store in Ashburn GA. Had two sausage dogs and a brownie. Also bought some hillbilly prosciutto called biscuit slices that I learned had to be cooked AFTER I ate them. Not dead yet though. Who knew there was all that to do in Northern Alabama. And I already had done the Huntsville stuff. You will see billboards for some of these places. That's why I tried them.